1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air conditioner, and to a way of economically utilizing an air conditioner.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a conventional air conditioner. Referring to FIG. 1, the air conditioner has a base 1, a compressor 2 and a motor 3. The compressor 2 compresses the refrigerant into a high temperature and high pressure, and the motor 3 generates a rotary power for the compressor. The compressor 2 and the motor 3 are installed on the base 1. A partition 1a divides the air conditioner into an indoor section and an outdoor section.
A blower 4 is installed at a front side of the motor 3, i.e., in the indoor section, while a cooling fan 5 is installed at a rear side of the motor 3, i.e., in the outdoor section. An indoor heat-exchanger 6 is installed at the front side of the blower 4. An outdoor heat-exchanger 7 is installed at the rear side of the cooling fan 5 so as to condense the high temperature and high pressure refrigerant introduced from the compressor 2 into a liquefied low temperature and low pressure refrigerant. Additionally, a capillary tube 6a is connected to the indoor heat-exchanger 6. The refrigerant introduced from the outdoor heat-exchanger 7 is decompressed as it passes through the capillary tube 6a so as to be a low temperature and low pressure refrigerant and flows into the indoor heat-exchanger 6.
The base 1, and the above-mentioned elements installed on the base 1 are encased by a body 8. Also, a front panel 9 is fixed at the front portion of the indoor heat-exchanger 6. The front panel 9 has indoor suction ports 9a through which the indoor air is sucked, and indoor discharge ports 9b through which the indoor air is discharged. Outdoor suction ports 8a through which an outdoor air is sucked and outdoor discharge ports (not shown) through which the outdoor air is discharged are respectively formed in the body 8.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a conventional air conditioner. Referring to FIG. 2, operation commands are inputted through an input section 20. A temperature detecting section 60 detects an indoor temperature. A microcomputer 30 receives the commands from the input section 20, and the indoor temperature from the temperature detecting section 60 so as to accordingly control a load driving section 40 which will be described later.
The load driving section 40 drives the compressor 2 and motor 3 (both shown in FIG. 1) so as to carry out the cooling operation. Also, the microcomputer 30 displays the operational status through a display section 50. The microcomputer 30 operates under power supplied from a power supply 10.
The operation of the conventional air conditioner constructed as above will be described in greater detail hereinbelow.
First, as the power is applied to the air conditioner, the user inputs the operation commands through the input section 20. The microcomputer 30 receives the commands from the input section 20 and the indoor temperature from the temperature detecting section 60 so as to accordingly control the load driving section 40.
Accordingly, as the compressor 2 is operated by the motor 3, the refrigerant circulates through the refrigerant cycle. The refrigerant is heat-exchanged by the outdoor heat-exchanger 7 and the indoor heat-exchanger 6. The cooling fan 5 and the blowing fan 4 respectively circulate air through the outdoor heat-exchanger 7 and the indoor heat-exchanger 6.
In the outdoor section, the outdoor air sucked through the outdoor suction ports 8a by the cooling fan 5 is heat-exchanged with the high temperature refrigerant therein while the air blows through the outdoor heat-exchanger 7. Thus, the high temperature refrigerant in the outdoor heat-exchanger 6 becomes a low temperature refrigerant, and heated air is discharged.
In the indoor section, the indoor air sucked through the indoor suction ports 9a by the blowing fan 4 is cooled by being heat-exchanged with the low temperature refrigerant therein. Then, as the cooled air is discharged to the room through the indoor discharge ports 9b, the cooling operation is carried out.
A problem arises in that such an air conditioner consumes much more power than other home appliances. It is a well-known fact that an air conditioner consumes as much power as thirty electric fans.
Furthermore, the conventional air conditioner has no function of displaying the power consumption data. Thus, the consumers are not aware how much power the air conditioner has consumed, or how much the power rates therefor would be. Accordingly, the consumer operates the air conditioner not according to economic considerations, but only according to physical convenience so that there will occur an excessive power consumption in load peak periods such as during summer.
Also, the over use of power in certain periods can cause a power shortage.